Press release
Minister Doherty Announces Tender Process Underway
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
Insights will inform future Government policies
The Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty, T.D., today announced that a request for tenders for research into the cost of disability has been published under the Office of Government Procurement Multi-Supplier Framework Agreement to the relevant Framework Members. As part of the measures outlined in Budget 2019 the Minister had announced her intention to commission a research project in 2019 examining the cost of disability.
The concept of “Cost of Disability” can be defined as the amount it costs a disabled person to achieve the same standard of living as a non-disabled person. It is recognised nationally and internationally that people with disabilities incur many extra living costs as a result of their disability such as; heating, disability aids & equipment, medical and drug costs, care costs and average transport costs.
Speaking today, Minister Doherty said:
“This is an important and much-needed piece of research and, when complete, will inform policy direction in the future – from a whole-of-Government perspective – in relation to the right levels of support to meet the needs of people with disabilities.
“Many people with disabilities and their advocacy groups have told me that the current system of payments – designed to cater for a loss of income - are not sufficient to cover the additional living costs incurred by people with disabilities. This is a complex area. People with disabilities run a spectrum from those who are profoundly disabled to those who suffer with a condition, which although restrictive, is not an impediment to work and employment. I am nevertheless keen to address the concerns raised by the people who live with the reality of disability and will use the outcome of the study to inform potential measures to address this issue of cost.”
Speaking today, Minister of State with responsibility for Disabilities, Finian McGrath, T.D., said:
"I am delighted to see that a request for tenders for research into the cost of disability, as we announced in Budget 2019, is underway. As Minister for Disabilities, I meet people with varying disabilities on a daily basis who describe not only how they cope with their disability but also, all too often, the financial implications which their disability places in their lives. I welcome this research as another example of the way I believe that we should plan and reform our disability services by putting the person with the disability front and central in our thinking and planning"
It is envisaged that the research using appropriate methods will provide quantitative estimates of the cost of disability using a number of approaches (‘mixed-method’) including data based on the direct experience of people with disabilities.
According to the expected timeline, once a successful tenderer is identified, the research can commence in April with a view to having the research completed at the end of the year.
ENDS